Free Republic

WAVELAND, Miss. -- Gus McKay slides out of bed at dawn, tiptoes across his family's government-issued trailer and slips into the bathroom, slowly turning the doorknob so he doesn't wake his two teenage daughters in the adjoining room. He has only a few minutes to shower and dress before staking out his customary spot next to the kitchen sink. That's the safest place to be when his wife and daughters squeeze past, scrambling to get ready for work and school. Every morning is the same: The McKays wake up in shifts, rotate through the bathroom, bedroom and kitchen, take turns...

AUSTIN (AP) - Texas schools won't get federal emergency funds to pay for additional teachers and textbooks to accommodate students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, according to a memo released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Texas schools will need an estimated $450 million to educate the anticipated influx of students. Officials had hoped those costs would be covered by grants from FEMA because Texas has been included in the disaster declaration. But, according to a FEMA memo sent to state officials Saturday, Texas schools will be eligible for reimbursement for temporary classroom buildings, mental health counselors and school computers. Hiring...